FutureShock!: Reimagining “career readiness” through meaningful, experiential learning

​Career exploration is challenging, irrespective of age. It’s especially tough for young people in the traditional k-12 system right now. Most young people are not sure what they want to do after graduating high school. They’re increasingly skeptical of traditional higher ed options. And alternative paths are unclear. Moreover, most high schoolers lack the underlying skills needed to explore career and post-secondary options. This includes skills for self-direction; reflecting on one’s interests; and translating one’s interests into concrete projects.

​We believe that building your future is more than just about finding a job. The starting point does not have a single trajectory; it involves developing different skills over time and combining them in different ways. Last summer, we piloted FutureShock! - a ten-day experience where high schoolers explore career interests through hands on projects with others - in three cities across the country. FutureShock enabled students to work on cool projects and find people to support and challenge them, all while making meaning of how what they’re learning and doing might set them up for the future. By the end of the program, 100% of participants said they would want to do the program again, and 97% completed an interest-driven project in just two weeks!*

​During our time together, you’ll get to experience what young people experienced this summer - from building with AI tools to curating a photo narrative to tracing your own path. Your mind will be whirring with ideas and inspiration of how you think about “career readiness”.